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Formed in 1882 as Collingwood Dry Dock, Shipbuilding and Foundry Company in Collingwood, Ontario by J.D Silcox and S.D Andrews [1] and renamed with the shortened name in 1892,[2] Collingwood Shipbuilding's core business was building Lake freighters, ships built to fit the narrow locks of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Over the company's lifetime it built over 200 ships. During the Second World War (1940–1944), the company was contracted to build 23 warships for the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Navy, mostly corvettes and minesweepers.

CSL retained ownership of the land and slowly the buildings and structures of the old shipyard were demolished. Left vacant for almost two decades and then sold to developers Fram + Slokker. Beginning in 2004 the former shipyard has been rezoned from industrial to commercial use. The property has been undergoing re-development as part of Collingwood Harbour's revitalization plan. The area will be home to a residential community consisting of low-rise condos, townhomes and detached homes.[5] The former berths will be surrounded by a boardwalk and feature docking facilities for pleasure craft. Landscaping will provide a setting to attract residents and visitors to enjoy the views of the harbour.[citation needed]